Plans for an Arrested Development film have been in motion for a while. However, according to Mitch Hurwitz, they’ve been flummoxed by actor Michael Cera, who has previously been mentioned as the lone holdout from the cast who wasn’t ready to commit. This position that was buttressed recently when Cera claimed that he was holding out for a script and that the movie was “more hypothetical than you think.”
Now, The New York Daily News’s Gatecrasher is reporting that Jeffrey Tambor believes both that Cera is on board, and that the Arrested Development will happen this year. At a recent Upright Citizens Brigade LA performance of “Word Girl,” Tambor was quoted as saying the following:
If I have to call him up and say, ‘Get on set right now, young man,’ he’ll be there…The movie is going to happen this year, and Michael Cera is on board. Trust me.
A cryptic remark to be sure. Did he actually talk to Cera? Is Cera in fact on board, or does Tambor just have a monstrous amount of faith in his paternal taskmaster instincts? Has a script/story even been written yet? Tambor has been known to be wildly optimistic about this project in the past but he’s starting to get pretty bold with his proclamations, so I’m inclined to think that he’s either confident to the point of being willing to put his credibility on the line, or he just doesn’t care about his credibility whatsoever. In any case, it seems like Arrested D fans actually have something to look forward soon, if Tambor is to be believed (which is a huge “if”).
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Blunt, Segel Joining Black in Gulliver's Travels
Twentieth Century Fox is negotiating with Emily Blunt and Jason Segel to join Jack Black in Gulliver's Travels, the Rob Letterman-directed reimagining of the classic Jonathan Swift tale, reports Variety.
Blunt had already been offered the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2, but that may not be an option because of "Travels," says the trade. Fox holds an option on the actress that was part of her deal when she co-starred in The Devil Wears Prada, and the studio may invoke it to see that she takes part in the giant tale.
While Blunt's reps are still trying to work out scheduling so she can play both roles, it will be an uphill battle because of scheduling overlap. Gulliver's Travels will shoot in the U.K. in late March; Iron Man 2 is expected to begin filming in early April in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Earlier this week it seemed that Marvel Entertainment would have to go back to the drawing board to find an actress to play Natasha Romanoff, the Soviet superspy who moonlights as Black Widow, a beauty in a skintight black costume enhanced by high-tech weaponry. But by late Thursday, it looked like Fox and Blunt's representatives were feeling more optimistic that she could do both projects.
Black was set late last year to play Lemuel Gulliver, a travel writer who takes an assignment to the Bermuda Triangle and washes up on the island of Lilliput, where he's a giant among the tiny population. Blunt will play a Lilliputian princess and Black's love interest. Segel will play Horatio, Gulliver's best friend from Lilliput who helps rescue Gulliver when he's captured.
Blunt had already been offered the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2, but that may not be an option because of "Travels," says the trade. Fox holds an option on the actress that was part of her deal when she co-starred in The Devil Wears Prada, and the studio may invoke it to see that she takes part in the giant tale.
While Blunt's reps are still trying to work out scheduling so she can play both roles, it will be an uphill battle because of scheduling overlap. Gulliver's Travels will shoot in the U.K. in late March; Iron Man 2 is expected to begin filming in early April in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Earlier this week it seemed that Marvel Entertainment would have to go back to the drawing board to find an actress to play Natasha Romanoff, the Soviet superspy who moonlights as Black Widow, a beauty in a skintight black costume enhanced by high-tech weaponry. But by late Thursday, it looked like Fox and Blunt's representatives were feeling more optimistic that she could do both projects.
Black was set late last year to play Lemuel Gulliver, a travel writer who takes an assignment to the Bermuda Triangle and washes up on the island of Lilliput, where he's a giant among the tiny population. Blunt will play a Lilliputian princess and Black's love interest. Segel will play Horatio, Gulliver's best friend from Lilliput who helps rescue Gulliver when he's captured.
Tom Wheeler Writing Puss in Boots
TV scribe Tom Wheeler has been hired to write the "Shrek" spinoff Puss in Boots for DreamWorks Animation, a stand-alone feature foray for the feline assassin/swordsman voiced by Antonio Banderas in the two most recent "Shrek" films.
The Puss in Boots character, originally hired to knock off the grumpy green ogre, debuted in Shrek 2, which is the 10th-highest-grossing movie of all time. He went on to become part of Shrek's entourage.
Chris Miller, who added voices and dialogue to previous "Shrek" installments and co-directed and co-wrote the third movie, wrote an earlier draft of the "Puss" screenplay.
The Puss in Boots character, originally hired to knock off the grumpy green ogre, debuted in Shrek 2, which is the 10th-highest-grossing movie of all time. He went on to become part of Shrek's entourage.
Chris Miller, who added voices and dialogue to previous "Shrek" installments and co-directed and co-wrote the third movie, wrote an earlier draft of the "Puss" screenplay.
Viola Davis Joins Law Abiding Citizen
Oscar-nominee Viola Davis (Doubt) will join Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler in the F. Gary Gray-directed psychological thriller Law Abiding Citizen. Also joining the cast are Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb,, Colm Meaney and Regina Hall.
The film began shooting January 21st in Philadelphia and is expected to debut in theatres in 2010. Overture is domestically distributing The Film Department-produced project.
The announcement was made by Overture Films' CEO Chris McGurk and COO Danny Rosett along with Mark Gill and Neil Sacker of The Film Department. Gill and Butler will produce along with Lucas Foster, Alan Siegel and Kurt Wimmer. Sacker, Robert Katz and Michael Goguen will executive produce with Jeff Waxman co-producing.
Law Abiding Citizen focuses on a man (Butler) who, 10 years after his wife and daughter are brutally murdered, returns to exact justice from the assistant district attorney (Foxx) who prosecuted the case against their killers. His vengeance threatens not only the man who allowed mercy to supersede justice, but also the system and the city that made it so.
"What a fantastic cast," said McGurk. "We are thrilled to partner with The Film Department on such an intriguing project and hope this is just the beginning of a long and successful relationship."
The film began shooting January 21st in Philadelphia and is expected to debut in theatres in 2010. Overture is domestically distributing The Film Department-produced project.
The announcement was made by Overture Films' CEO Chris McGurk and COO Danny Rosett along with Mark Gill and Neil Sacker of The Film Department. Gill and Butler will produce along with Lucas Foster, Alan Siegel and Kurt Wimmer. Sacker, Robert Katz and Michael Goguen will executive produce with Jeff Waxman co-producing.
Law Abiding Citizen focuses on a man (Butler) who, 10 years after his wife and daughter are brutally murdered, returns to exact justice from the assistant district attorney (Foxx) who prosecuted the case against their killers. His vengeance threatens not only the man who allowed mercy to supersede justice, but also the system and the city that made it so.
"What a fantastic cast," said McGurk. "We are thrilled to partner with The Film Department on such an intriguing project and hope this is just the beginning of a long and successful relationship."
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sylvester Stallone Not Done with Rambo
Sylvester Stallone, who is preparing to shoot action-adventure The Expendables, told Extra that he's planning to play John Rambo again.
"Yeah, we are doing another 'Rambo,' but the conflict is whether to do it in America or a foreign country," said Stallone.
Sly last played the role in Lionsgate's January 25, 2008 release Rambo, which earned $113.2 million worldwide. That pic cost $50 million to make.
"Yeah, we are doing another 'Rambo,' but the conflict is whether to do it in America or a foreign country," said Stallone.
Sly last played the role in Lionsgate's January 25, 2008 release Rambo, which earned $113.2 million worldwide. That pic cost $50 million to make.
Rumor: Robert Rodriguez to Producer Predator Reboot?
Rumor has it that 20th Century Fox is developing a Predator reboot with Robert Rodriguez and Troublemaker Studios in the producers chair. This according to Bloody Disgusting’s reliable sources, who also claim that the idea is for the film follow a team of commandos who must face a mysterious race of vicious monsters. That’s right, not just one Predator, but a whole group. That change alone is sure to cause fanboys to throw a hissy.
I’d be more excited if Rodriguez was personally attached to direct, but his upcoming slate is pretty damn full already, and it seems very unlikely. Also, no writer has been hired to pen a screenplay yet, which means this project must be at the earliest stages of development.
I’d be more excited if Rodriguez was personally attached to direct, but his upcoming slate is pretty damn full already, and it seems very unlikely. Also, no writer has been hired to pen a screenplay yet, which means this project must be at the earliest stages of development.
Ghost Rider Sequel in Development
Bloody Disgusting has confirmed that Columbia Pictures is officially out to screenwriters for Ghost Rider 2, and star Nicolas Cage is already signed on to reprise the role as Johnny Blaze.
This is shocking because nobody I know enjoyed the 2007 film when it was released. In fact, the Internet Movie Database user rating is a 5.3 (which is somewhere between bad and very bad) and a 28% on the Rotten Tomatoes critics-rated Tomatometer. The film didn’t even make big bucks at the box office. Made for $110 million, the film grossed $228 million worldwide (again, about half of which went to exhibitor costs) which means the film barely made a theatrical profit. But for a superhero movie like Ghost Rider, the real money is made in merchandising and DVD sales, which explains the interest in a sequel.
I use to read Ghost Rider comic books when I was younger, and I really believe that the comic property could be turned into a pretty cool movie. Lets just hope that Mark Steven Johnson isn’t sitting in the director’s chair this time around. Sony needs to learn from Marvel’s recent wins and hire a director who is a few levels higher than the material.
This is shocking because nobody I know enjoyed the 2007 film when it was released. In fact, the Internet Movie Database user rating is a 5.3 (which is somewhere between bad and very bad) and a 28% on the Rotten Tomatoes critics-rated Tomatometer. The film didn’t even make big bucks at the box office. Made for $110 million, the film grossed $228 million worldwide (again, about half of which went to exhibitor costs) which means the film barely made a theatrical profit. But for a superhero movie like Ghost Rider, the real money is made in merchandising and DVD sales, which explains the interest in a sequel.
I use to read Ghost Rider comic books when I was younger, and I really believe that the comic property could be turned into a pretty cool movie. Lets just hope that Mark Steven Johnson isn’t sitting in the director’s chair this time around. Sony needs to learn from Marvel’s recent wins and hire a director who is a few levels higher than the material.
Will Kimmel Move to Earlier Time Slot?
And the late-night musical chairs continue.
ABC's television entertainment division has discussed moving Jimmy Kimmel Live from 12:05 am to the 11:30 pm time slot now held by Nightline, sources told the The New York Times.
ABC denies any conversations, but sources say the Kimmel move was discussed at length and could happen later this year. The move could create serious conflicts between the network's news and entertainment divisions. It was unclear if the ABC institution would change time slots or die. The show is one of the cornerstones of ABC's news programming.
Why move now? Because of the change a-brewin' at NBC. Longtime Tonight Show host Jay Leno will leave his show for a new prime-time series in the late summer, and Conan O'Brien, of Late Night, will replace Leno. Kimmel's shift could put a dent in the Tonight Show's ratings.
ABC's television entertainment division has discussed moving Jimmy Kimmel Live from 12:05 am to the 11:30 pm time slot now held by Nightline, sources told the The New York Times.
ABC denies any conversations, but sources say the Kimmel move was discussed at length and could happen later this year. The move could create serious conflicts between the network's news and entertainment divisions. It was unclear if the ABC institution would change time slots or die. The show is one of the cornerstones of ABC's news programming.
Why move now? Because of the change a-brewin' at NBC. Longtime Tonight Show host Jay Leno will leave his show for a new prime-time series in the late summer, and Conan O'Brien, of Late Night, will replace Leno. Kimmel's shift could put a dent in the Tonight Show's ratings.
Suburbian Planning: Is Bob Saget Returning to ABC?
Full House's Danny Tanner might be calling ABC home once again.
According to Variety, the Alphabet network is in talks to save Surviving Suburbia, a comedy that was originally developed for the CW's Sunday-night lineup but as of late has been without a home.
Starring Bob Saget, Cynthia Stevenson and Jere Burns, Suburbia was to premiere on the CW in March, until the netlet scrapped its outscoring arrangement with Media Rights Capital (an independent production house). Since then, the family comedy has been shopped around to other parties, while production has continued on the first 13 episodes.
Should ABC pick up Suburbia, it would be in keeping with what network entertainment boss Stephen McPherson told the press earlier this month at the Television Critics Association winter tour.
"A lot of the comedies on the air are kind of observational, and I like a lot of them, but I do think an is missing when the [traditional] sitcom is almost nowhere on the air," McPherson said. "I would like to see us get back to [programming], you know, a contemporary version of what we did with Roseanne and Home Improvement. I think there is a real place for that."
According to Variety, the Alphabet network is in talks to save Surviving Suburbia, a comedy that was originally developed for the CW's Sunday-night lineup but as of late has been without a home.
Starring Bob Saget, Cynthia Stevenson and Jere Burns, Suburbia was to premiere on the CW in March, until the netlet scrapped its outscoring arrangement with Media Rights Capital (an independent production house). Since then, the family comedy has been shopped around to other parties, while production has continued on the first 13 episodes.
Should ABC pick up Suburbia, it would be in keeping with what network entertainment boss Stephen McPherson told the press earlier this month at the Television Critics Association winter tour.
"A lot of the comedies on the air are kind of observational, and I like a lot of them, but I do think an is missing when the [traditional] sitcom is almost nowhere on the air," McPherson said. "I would like to see us get back to [programming], you know, a contemporary version of what we did with Roseanne and Home Improvement. I think there is a real place for that."
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Kelly Clarkson Breaks Record For Hot 100 Jump
Kelly Clarkson will make history on this week's Billboard Hot 100, to be posted tomorrow (Jan. 29) on Billboard.com, with the largest leap to No. 1 in the chart's 50-year history.
Her new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," is set to rocket 97-1 after selling 280,000 digital downloads in its first week of availability. The song is also faring well at radio, jumping 58-38 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart and 27-18 on the Mainstream Top 40 list.
"My Life" introduces Clarkson's March 17 RCA album "All I Ever Wanted." This is the second time the artist has set the record for largest jump to No. 1. She took her "American Idol" victory song, "A Moment Like This," 52-1 on the chart dated October 5, 2002.
That mark lasted nearly five years until Maroon 5 soared 64-1 with "Makes Me Wonder" in May 2007 and had been broken four more times since, most recently by Britney Spears' "Womanizer" (96-1).
"My Life" is Clarkson's first No. 1 since her debut single, though she has placed six other songs in the top 10 during this time, including the No. 2-peaking "Since U Been Gone" in April 2005.
"Never Again", the first single from her last set, the relatively poor performing "My December," opened at No. 8 on the Hot 100 in the May 5, 2007, issue, starting with 107,000 downloads, and spending a total of two weeks in the top 10.
Her new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," is set to rocket 97-1 after selling 280,000 digital downloads in its first week of availability. The song is also faring well at radio, jumping 58-38 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart and 27-18 on the Mainstream Top 40 list.
"My Life" introduces Clarkson's March 17 RCA album "All I Ever Wanted." This is the second time the artist has set the record for largest jump to No. 1. She took her "American Idol" victory song, "A Moment Like This," 52-1 on the chart dated October 5, 2002.
That mark lasted nearly five years until Maroon 5 soared 64-1 with "Makes Me Wonder" in May 2007 and had been broken four more times since, most recently by Britney Spears' "Womanizer" (96-1).
"My Life" is Clarkson's first No. 1 since her debut single, though she has placed six other songs in the top 10 during this time, including the No. 2-peaking "Since U Been Gone" in April 2005.
"Never Again", the first single from her last set, the relatively poor performing "My December," opened at No. 8 on the Hot 100 in the May 5, 2007, issue, starting with 107,000 downloads, and spending a total of two weeks in the top 10.
Warner Bros. Rebooting Tomb Raider
Warners Bros. Pictures and producer Dan Lin (upcoming Sherlock Holmes) are in early development on a a reboot of "Tomb Raider," the popular video game action franchise featuring Lara Croft.
Paramount previously made the two movies based on the game, but the rights have since reverted to Eidos. When Time Warner upped its stake to 19.92% in Eidos in December, films rights to the property were included as part of the deal.
Lin will produce the project via his Lin Pictures while Stephen Gilchrist will co-produce; Ian Livingstone of Eidos will executive produce.
The new project, however, is expected to revamp the character and her mission and bear little resemblance to the original pictures. It will reimagine the origins of the character, her love interest and the main villain.
As an open-writing assignment, the project is still in its nascent stages. An actress who could play the role Angelina Jolie made famous would likely come on after a writer and director are attached.
Paramount previously made the two movies based on the game, but the rights have since reverted to Eidos. When Time Warner upped its stake to 19.92% in Eidos in December, films rights to the property were included as part of the deal.
Lin will produce the project via his Lin Pictures while Stephen Gilchrist will co-produce; Ian Livingstone of Eidos will executive produce.
The new project, however, is expected to revamp the character and her mission and bear little resemblance to the original pictures. It will reimagine the origins of the character, her love interest and the main villain.
As an open-writing assignment, the project is still in its nascent stages. An actress who could play the role Angelina Jolie made famous would likely come on after a writer and director are attached.
Cobra Starship's Gabe Saporta Talks Haters, Being Called A 'Joke Band'
'When something is funny, people think it's a joke,' frontman says in part two of our interview.
Gabe Saporta is not a jerk. He's not a celebrity, either.
But he plays both of those roles to perfection, as evidenced in part one of our interview with him, which we posted on Monday and was quickly greeted throughout the blogosphere with comments that ranged from "Wow, what a jerk" and "That dude totally thinks he's a celebrity" to "What a jerk wannabe celebrity" and "You're not a celebrity, jerk."
It was a tidal wave of negativity that, quite frankly, caught us off guard. But then when we thought about it — and aside from being rather hilarious — the hatred also proved a point: Saporta is truly on top of his game. He's the "Rowdy" Roddy Piper of pop music — the man you love to hate.
And in part two of our chat, Saporta talks about his public persona and about how it affects the music he makes with Cobra Starship. He talks about watching his band become huge and how he plans to keep it that way. And, for the first time, he discusses Cobra's new album — the songs, the producers and picking that all-important title. But a word of warning: If you're dying to know just when you'll be hearing that new album, well, Saporta's got some bad news for you.
On Himself, His Band and Their (Many) Detractors: "I feel grateful for everything now, because I've been making music since I was 16, and I've always had bad luck — of course, I've been the cause of a lot of it. I just got a bit older and realized I can't control all of it. I can't control what people think about me or my band, so I don't try to, like, hyper-manage that sh--. I think the thing is, when something is funny, people think it's a joke — but that doesn't mean it also can't be a real thing. [Cobra Starship] is not serious, like, we're writing poetry, but I want it to be real. Instead of trying to, like, focus on one part of my emotions, I want to give people a window to the whole thing. I want people to hear all of it. And it's obviously always easier to get someone's attention with a good joke, because if they like it, they'll want to hear more. And that's what happened with Cobra ... the people who got it, they got it, and we've always been really f---ing appreciative of them.
"A long time ago we made a decision that we're going to have fun and do throwbacks to really funny things, and if people got that, cool. And, like, it's weird, because when you make music, most artists will say they don't want it to be big, but everyone wants their music to be heard by as many people as possible. I could've taken the money and run after I did [the theme song for] 'Snakes on a Plane,' but I kind of bet on myself. I made a decision that this band was going to be a real thing. I know that it's jokey and some people may not get it, but I think that I can do it, and so far, we have. At the same time, I realize that this is my second shot, and no one gets a second shot — except somehow I've been able to. And I'd like to think we've established this little niche in pop culture, so that's awesome."
On Writing Cobra's New Album: "We have a clear idea what the sequence of the album is like, you know? We have an idea of the whole record. We wrote nine songs before we went on tour, and we liked 'em, but we kept saying, 'These don't have the variety that the songs on Viva la Cobra did.' So we got off tour, and we headed to this cabin in Pennsylvania to begin working on some new ones. And, seriously, it was the most productive thing ever. To go there, we had to convince a lot of people, that it would be a good idea, you know? Because usually, when a band goes out by themselves, they end up tripping on acid and coming back with a bunch of sh-- that makes no sense. But as an artist, the challenge is to do something interesting to you, but comprehensible to the average music listener. And that's a fine line to walk. Cobra is all about walking the fine line — 'Are we a joke band, or a serious band?' — so I know where that line is. I can't articulate it, but I can feel it. So, thinking about all that, we went to the cabin, and we sat there for two weeks, just working. We didn't watch TV, we didn't f--- around — we sat around a big table with computers out and just worked and worked and worked. I mean, at night we'd party a bit, but we worked. And we came up with a bunch of new stuff, something like 11 songs, and then we've been jamming out. So we took the songs from writing to making it come to life. And now we're going into the studio ... we've got those songs, plus stuff we did with producers ... we did stuff with Benny Blanco [Katy Perry, Britney Spears], we worked with [Fall Out Boy frontman] Patrick [Stump] on a few new songs. You know, we'll try anything and everything."
On Picking That Perfect Title (and Release Date): "I don't know when the record's going to come out, and I don't worry about that. I don't worry about that sh-- at all. At the end of the day, I'll put the whole thing on the Internet if I have to. We're going to record it, and I'm gonna sit down and listen to it, and then pick which songs make the cut, and slap a title on it and get it out somehow. And I have a title picked out already but it might be too out-there, so I don't know just yet. It was weird, because we just decided to call the last one Viva la Cobra as a joke, and then kids, like, latched onto it, and now you see people on MySpace or Facebook and their names are, like, 'Viva la Katie!' F---, seriously though, I just hope the kids who like us will continue to like us. It's going to be a big record for us, one way or the other. I mean, I usually get bored of a band after their third album, so we'll see."
Gabe Saporta is not a jerk. He's not a celebrity, either.
But he plays both of those roles to perfection, as evidenced in part one of our interview with him, which we posted on Monday and was quickly greeted throughout the blogosphere with comments that ranged from "Wow, what a jerk" and "That dude totally thinks he's a celebrity" to "What a jerk wannabe celebrity" and "You're not a celebrity, jerk."
It was a tidal wave of negativity that, quite frankly, caught us off guard. But then when we thought about it — and aside from being rather hilarious — the hatred also proved a point: Saporta is truly on top of his game. He's the "Rowdy" Roddy Piper of pop music — the man you love to hate.
And in part two of our chat, Saporta talks about his public persona and about how it affects the music he makes with Cobra Starship. He talks about watching his band become huge and how he plans to keep it that way. And, for the first time, he discusses Cobra's new album — the songs, the producers and picking that all-important title. But a word of warning: If you're dying to know just when you'll be hearing that new album, well, Saporta's got some bad news for you.
On Himself, His Band and Their (Many) Detractors: "I feel grateful for everything now, because I've been making music since I was 16, and I've always had bad luck — of course, I've been the cause of a lot of it. I just got a bit older and realized I can't control all of it. I can't control what people think about me or my band, so I don't try to, like, hyper-manage that sh--. I think the thing is, when something is funny, people think it's a joke — but that doesn't mean it also can't be a real thing. [Cobra Starship] is not serious, like, we're writing poetry, but I want it to be real. Instead of trying to, like, focus on one part of my emotions, I want to give people a window to the whole thing. I want people to hear all of it. And it's obviously always easier to get someone's attention with a good joke, because if they like it, they'll want to hear more. And that's what happened with Cobra ... the people who got it, they got it, and we've always been really f---ing appreciative of them.
"A long time ago we made a decision that we're going to have fun and do throwbacks to really funny things, and if people got that, cool. And, like, it's weird, because when you make music, most artists will say they don't want it to be big, but everyone wants their music to be heard by as many people as possible. I could've taken the money and run after I did [the theme song for] 'Snakes on a Plane,' but I kind of bet on myself. I made a decision that this band was going to be a real thing. I know that it's jokey and some people may not get it, but I think that I can do it, and so far, we have. At the same time, I realize that this is my second shot, and no one gets a second shot — except somehow I've been able to. And I'd like to think we've established this little niche in pop culture, so that's awesome."
On Writing Cobra's New Album: "We have a clear idea what the sequence of the album is like, you know? We have an idea of the whole record. We wrote nine songs before we went on tour, and we liked 'em, but we kept saying, 'These don't have the variety that the songs on Viva la Cobra did.' So we got off tour, and we headed to this cabin in Pennsylvania to begin working on some new ones. And, seriously, it was the most productive thing ever. To go there, we had to convince a lot of people, that it would be a good idea, you know? Because usually, when a band goes out by themselves, they end up tripping on acid and coming back with a bunch of sh-- that makes no sense. But as an artist, the challenge is to do something interesting to you, but comprehensible to the average music listener. And that's a fine line to walk. Cobra is all about walking the fine line — 'Are we a joke band, or a serious band?' — so I know where that line is. I can't articulate it, but I can feel it. So, thinking about all that, we went to the cabin, and we sat there for two weeks, just working. We didn't watch TV, we didn't f--- around — we sat around a big table with computers out and just worked and worked and worked. I mean, at night we'd party a bit, but we worked. And we came up with a bunch of new stuff, something like 11 songs, and then we've been jamming out. So we took the songs from writing to making it come to life. And now we're going into the studio ... we've got those songs, plus stuff we did with producers ... we did stuff with Benny Blanco [Katy Perry, Britney Spears], we worked with [Fall Out Boy frontman] Patrick [Stump] on a few new songs. You know, we'll try anything and everything."
On Picking That Perfect Title (and Release Date): "I don't know when the record's going to come out, and I don't worry about that. I don't worry about that sh-- at all. At the end of the day, I'll put the whole thing on the Internet if I have to. We're going to record it, and I'm gonna sit down and listen to it, and then pick which songs make the cut, and slap a title on it and get it out somehow. And I have a title picked out already but it might be too out-there, so I don't know just yet. It was weird, because we just decided to call the last one Viva la Cobra as a joke, and then kids, like, latched onto it, and now you see people on MySpace or Facebook and their names are, like, 'Viva la Katie!' F---, seriously though, I just hope the kids who like us will continue to like us. It's going to be a big record for us, one way or the other. I mean, I usually get bored of a band after their third album, so we'll see."
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Fraser to Come at You with Furry Vengeance
Brendan Fraser will star in and Roger Kumble will direct Furry Vengeance, a live-action family comedy that will start production by early summer, reports Variety.
Fraser will play a real estate developer whose new housing subdivision pushes far into a pristine part of the Oregon wilderness, pitting the developer against a band of angry critters.
Summit Entertainment and Participant Media are co-financing and co-producing the movie, marking their first collaboration since announcing a multipic distribution deal last week.
Robert Simonds will produce with Keith Goldberg. The script was written by Michael Carnes and Josh Gilbert, who wrote Mr. Woodcock together.
Fraser will play a real estate developer whose new housing subdivision pushes far into a pristine part of the Oregon wilderness, pitting the developer against a band of angry critters.
Summit Entertainment and Participant Media are co-financing and co-producing the movie, marking their first collaboration since announcing a multipic distribution deal last week.
Robert Simonds will produce with Keith Goldberg. The script was written by Michael Carnes and Josh Gilbert, who wrote Mr. Woodcock together.
Jamie Bell and Daniel Craig Join Tintin!
Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced the start of principal photography on the 3D motion capture feature The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Jamie Bell and Daniel Craig. The full press release:
Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment have announced the start of principal production in Los Angeles on the 3D Motion Capture Film "The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Jamie Bell ("Billy Elliot," "Defiance") as Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure, and Daniel Craig ("Quantum of Solace," "Defiance") as the nefarious Red Rackham.
Bell and Craig are joined by an international cast that includes Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook.
"The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn," from a screenplay by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, is produced by Spielberg, Peter Jackson and Kathleen Kennedy, is the first in the series of 3D motion capture films based on the iconic character created by Georges Remi, better known to the world by his pen name "Herge" and is due for release in 2011. Executive producers are Nick Rodwell, Stephane Sperry and Ken Kamins. Paramount Pictures will release domestically and in all English speaking territories and Asia, excluding India. Sony Pictures Releasing International will distribute the film in Continental Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, India and the remainder of the world.
The second feature in the series is scheduled to be directed by Jackson, with a potential for a third film as well.
Eighty years ago, Herge introduced the world to a unique cast of characters who have been embraced by readers of all ages. The Adventures of Tintin - a series of 24 books, the final unfinished adventure was published after Herge's - death became Herge's life's work. The first adventure was published in 1929. Over 200 million copies have been sold worldwide. The popular series has been translated into 70 languages and still attracts thousands of new fans each year.
Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson will bring Herge's stories to life employing state-of-the-art performance capture technology developed by Jackson's Weta Digital.
Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment have announced the start of principal production in Los Angeles on the 3D Motion Capture Film "The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Jamie Bell ("Billy Elliot," "Defiance") as Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure, and Daniel Craig ("Quantum of Solace," "Defiance") as the nefarious Red Rackham.
Bell and Craig are joined by an international cast that includes Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook.
"The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn," from a screenplay by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, is produced by Spielberg, Peter Jackson and Kathleen Kennedy, is the first in the series of 3D motion capture films based on the iconic character created by Georges Remi, better known to the world by his pen name "Herge" and is due for release in 2011. Executive producers are Nick Rodwell, Stephane Sperry and Ken Kamins. Paramount Pictures will release domestically and in all English speaking territories and Asia, excluding India. Sony Pictures Releasing International will distribute the film in Continental Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, India and the remainder of the world.
The second feature in the series is scheduled to be directed by Jackson, with a potential for a third film as well.
Eighty years ago, Herge introduced the world to a unique cast of characters who have been embraced by readers of all ages. The Adventures of Tintin - a series of 24 books, the final unfinished adventure was published after Herge's - death became Herge's life's work. The first adventure was published in 1929. Over 200 million copies have been sold worldwide. The popular series has been translated into 70 languages and still attracts thousands of new fans each year.
Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson will bring Herge's stories to life employing state-of-the-art performance capture technology developed by Jackson's Weta Digital.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Lil Wayne Teams With AT&T To Debut 'Rebirth'
Lil Wayne has announced a tentative April 7 release date for his next album, "Rebirth," a Universal spokesperson confirms. First single "Prom Queen," produced by Infamous and Drew Correa ("Mr. Carter"), was serviced to media over the weekend and will debut live on Wayne's MySpace page tomorrow (Jan. 27).
In addition, "Prom Queen" will debut tomorrow on the social networking site Facebook as part of a partnership between Lil Wayne and AT&T. The rapper will perform the single for the first time during a concert in San Diego, which will be streamed live on AT&T’s FREEdom of Choice and Mobile Music Facebook pages at 9:40 p.m. PST on Jan. 28.
“We have streamed festivals and shows in the past, but this is the first time AT&T will stream a live performance for our Facebook pages,” AT&T spokesperson Heather Buffington tells Billboard.com.
According to Huffington, AT&T customers downloaded Lil Wayne ringtones more than any other artist last year. He’s also the most popular artist with a Facebook page, she adds.
Following the show, a "Prom Queen" ringtone will be available to AT&T customers for purchase via text or through the AT&T Media Mall from handsets or online. This exclusive offer will run through Feb. 2. AT&T customers can also download the full track via text.
Contrary to previous reports, which said the forthcoming album would be titled "Tha Carter IV," the rock-inspired "Rebirth" will not be the next installment in "Tha Carter" series or related to any previous album he's released, according to his publicist.
Wayne's move to a rock'n'roll sound isn't surprising, considering he often plays guitar at his concerts and has aligned himself with new rock artist Kevin Rudolf. He appears on the latter's debut single, "Let It Rock," which recently peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"I might want to hear a certain sound like Prince, but I can't pay him to play it. So, I picked up a guitar and learned how to play it," Wayne told Billboard last year. "[It] goes to show you the only thing that can't be done is what you don't want to do."
As previously reported, Lil Wayne will perform Feb. 8 at the 51st annual Grammy Awards.
In addition, "Prom Queen" will debut tomorrow on the social networking site Facebook as part of a partnership between Lil Wayne and AT&T. The rapper will perform the single for the first time during a concert in San Diego, which will be streamed live on AT&T’s FREEdom of Choice and Mobile Music Facebook pages at 9:40 p.m. PST on Jan. 28.
“We have streamed festivals and shows in the past, but this is the first time AT&T will stream a live performance for our Facebook pages,” AT&T spokesperson Heather Buffington tells Billboard.com.
According to Huffington, AT&T customers downloaded Lil Wayne ringtones more than any other artist last year. He’s also the most popular artist with a Facebook page, she adds.
Following the show, a "Prom Queen" ringtone will be available to AT&T customers for purchase via text or through the AT&T Media Mall from handsets or online. This exclusive offer will run through Feb. 2. AT&T customers can also download the full track via text.
Contrary to previous reports, which said the forthcoming album would be titled "Tha Carter IV," the rock-inspired "Rebirth" will not be the next installment in "Tha Carter" series or related to any previous album he's released, according to his publicist.
Wayne's move to a rock'n'roll sound isn't surprising, considering he often plays guitar at his concerts and has aligned himself with new rock artist Kevin Rudolf. He appears on the latter's debut single, "Let It Rock," which recently peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"I might want to hear a certain sound like Prince, but I can't pay him to play it. So, I picked up a guitar and learned how to play it," Wayne told Billboard last year. "[It] goes to show you the only thing that can't be done is what you don't want to do."
As previously reported, Lil Wayne will perform Feb. 8 at the 51st annual Grammy Awards.
Next Batman Movie in 2011?
New Jersey's Courier-Post talked to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight executive producer Michael Uslan, who expects the third installment of the Christopher Nolan-directed films, starring Christian Bale, to hit theaters in 2011:
Uslan will be onboard as executive producer for the "Dark Knight" sequel, which he estimates will be theaters by 2011. As for the identity of the next round of Batman's supervillains and love interests, Uslan remains tight-lipped. "It's one of those deals where if I told you, I'd have to kill you," he says with a chuckle.
In related news, while The Dark Knight did not receive the Producer of the Year Award at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Saturday (it went to Slumdog Millionaire), the movie did receive awards at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday - Heath Ledger won for Best Supporting Actor and The Dark Knight also won Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture.
Uslan will be onboard as executive producer for the "Dark Knight" sequel, which he estimates will be theaters by 2011. As for the identity of the next round of Batman's supervillains and love interests, Uslan remains tight-lipped. "It's one of those deals where if I told you, I'd have to kill you," he says with a chuckle.
In related news, while The Dark Knight did not receive the Producer of the Year Award at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Saturday (it went to Slumdog Millionaire), the movie did receive awards at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday - Heath Ledger won for Best Supporting Actor and The Dark Knight also won Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture.
Cobra Starship's Gabe Saporta On Drinking, Surgery And A New Album
'I don't want to have a conversation about politics, I just wanna get trashed,' frontman says.
Three years ago, Cobra Starship weren't even a band.
Two years ago, they weren't one either, but at least things were beginning to happen. Gabe Saporta — tired of watching his band Midtown being mired in the major-label quagmire — began writing songs on his own, under the name of Cobra Starship (apparently borrowed from a brand of vintage jackets). Somewhere along the way, he got tapped to write the theme song for the Samuel L. Jackson flick "Snakes on a Plane," which became the first official Cobra release.
Since then, they've released two full-lengths, kicked out a keytar player and toured the world, despite the fact that many still don't consider them to be a real band (wearing neon hoodies and Rollerblading your way through videos tends to have that effect, it would seem). And somehow — through hard work, catchy songs and a "party-till-you-puke" ethos — they've corralled legions of fans and have become one of the the second-hugest bands in Pete Wentz's Decaydance Records universe.
All of which makes 2009 a fairly intriguing year for Saporta and company. They've begun work on a brand-new album, are lined-up to support Fall Out Boy on a massive spring tour, and could quite possibly conquer the world as we know it (or at least deck it out in DayGlo). Of course, there are still plenty of hurdles to overcome: Saporta needs to recover from the fairly invasive surgery he underwent in December, to remove a nodule from his vocal cords (he's healing, but admits to being worried that things might not be OK for the FOB tour in April). They need to create a whole new batch of party anthems. And they need to come to terms with their ever-growing fame.
Late last week, MTV News caught up with Saporta, and in the first of our two-part interview with him (part two publishes on Wednesday), he talks about his aching cords, the state of the Decaydance galaxy and getting, as he puts it, "totally f---ed up" for lyrical inspiration. Read on, and fangs up.
On His Busted Cords, and What They Mean for the Future of Cobra Starship: "It's weird, man, because obviously I can talk, and I can sing a bit, but there are just parts of my singing voice that are gone. There are notes that I just can't hit. I remember when I first hurt myself, it was on the Warped Tour this summer — that tour is hell, because you never know when you're going to play. So, like, one morning we had to take the stage at, like, 11:30 in the morning, and I never wake up before 2:30 in the afternoon, but I had to roll out of bed and get dressed and take the stage, and as soon as I was singing, I thought, 'F---, I totally strained my vocal cords.' I could just feel it. And it never healed after that. We went to Australia and Japan, and it never healed. So I'm trying to take some time off, and I get a call that [pop producer] Max Martin wanted to work on some songs with me for the new Cobra record, so of course I head out there right away. And it was kind of embarrassing, because as soon as I got out there, I just couldn't sing. At all. So I had the surgery at this place in, like, Beverly Hills, and since then I've been trying real hard to take it easy, but they're not healing all that well. And, to be honest, I'm a little concerned that it might affect the band and the tour. I mean, I'll drive the train right into the f---ing ground if I have to, but on the other hand, it'd be a shame if my voice blew out and the whole thing went to hell. Now I have to think about stuff like that, you know, my boys and my band and stuff. And it's a little worrying; I'm not going to lie."
On Cobra Starship's Ever-Growing Spot in the Decaydance Universe, and About Avoiding the Perils of Pulling a Panic at the Disco: "I try not to look at things like that. All companies are like that — there's a hierarchy based on success and, well, some bands are more successful than others. And I want to think that the situation with Decaydance isn't like that. I like to use the example of a band like Gym Class Heroes — they were first or second band on the label, and they watched the Academy Is... and Panic at the Disco pass them by, and [frontman] Travis [McCoy] just was never pissed about it, never complained, and finally they got their shot. I know that we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the people who helped us, bands like the Academy and people like [FOB frontman] Patrick [Stump] producing our record. I don't know, man, we're proud to be a part of it.
"At the same time, you know, I think everyone realizes where [the label] is at. But there's only so much you can do about all that. There was all this talk about 'the little economy that Fall Out Boy built.' They got big and helped other bands get their start. But once you get your start, it's up to you. You can get your foot in the door, but if you don't have the goods to back it up, you're kind of f---ed. Bands like Panic, they made their first record, and it got huge, and then they made a record they wanted to make, and the second time around, people didn't want to hear it anymore. And the same can be said about Gym Class, too. But, you know, there's no way to predict that. Whether or not something catches on and goes to the next level isn't a science at all, it's completely random. So, really, with our record, we have no idea. We just want our fans to like it, and we're going to let all that other sh-- just play itself out."
On Getting Dangerously Drunk in New York City: "Writing this record has been really weird because, like, on the last one, I was talking all this sh-- about celebrity and, like, it sort of became a self-fulfilling prophecy, you know? Talking sh-- about the cult of celebrity, and now we're in the middle of it. So I can't critique it anymore, because I'm not the underdog anymore. When you come up as the underdog, you have a reason to fight ... and then when you're not the underdog anymore, you have to find something new to fight about. And so, on the new record, I'm really trying out this idea of just talking as much sh-- as possible — about everything and everyone, you know? And I've discovered that the best way to get lyrical inspiration has just been to go out all the time. And not just go out, but, like, go out, get as intoxicated as possible, get in trouble, get kicked out of a place. It's not fun for me to go out unless I get kicked out and get hammered. I don't want to have a conversation about politics, I just wanna get trashed. And the only place I can do that is in New York City. Everywhere else, if you get out of hand, people get afraid. In NYC, if you get drunk and start f---ing with people, they'll f--- with you right back. And I love that confrontation. It may not be super-healthy, but I love it ... so there's a lot of that on the new album."
And what about that new album? On Wednesday, Saporta talks more about the songs and the producers, about picking the perfect title and about drawing inspiration from scene drama. If you're a Cobra fan, you won't want to miss it.
Three years ago, Cobra Starship weren't even a band.
Two years ago, they weren't one either, but at least things were beginning to happen. Gabe Saporta — tired of watching his band Midtown being mired in the major-label quagmire — began writing songs on his own, under the name of Cobra Starship (apparently borrowed from a brand of vintage jackets). Somewhere along the way, he got tapped to write the theme song for the Samuel L. Jackson flick "Snakes on a Plane," which became the first official Cobra release.
Since then, they've released two full-lengths, kicked out a keytar player and toured the world, despite the fact that many still don't consider them to be a real band (wearing neon hoodies and Rollerblading your way through videos tends to have that effect, it would seem). And somehow — through hard work, catchy songs and a "party-till-you-puke" ethos — they've corralled legions of fans and have become one of the the second-hugest bands in Pete Wentz's Decaydance Records universe.
All of which makes 2009 a fairly intriguing year for Saporta and company. They've begun work on a brand-new album, are lined-up to support Fall Out Boy on a massive spring tour, and could quite possibly conquer the world as we know it (or at least deck it out in DayGlo). Of course, there are still plenty of hurdles to overcome: Saporta needs to recover from the fairly invasive surgery he underwent in December, to remove a nodule from his vocal cords (he's healing, but admits to being worried that things might not be OK for the FOB tour in April). They need to create a whole new batch of party anthems. And they need to come to terms with their ever-growing fame.
Late last week, MTV News caught up with Saporta, and in the first of our two-part interview with him (part two publishes on Wednesday), he talks about his aching cords, the state of the Decaydance galaxy and getting, as he puts it, "totally f---ed up" for lyrical inspiration. Read on, and fangs up.
On His Busted Cords, and What They Mean for the Future of Cobra Starship: "It's weird, man, because obviously I can talk, and I can sing a bit, but there are just parts of my singing voice that are gone. There are notes that I just can't hit. I remember when I first hurt myself, it was on the Warped Tour this summer — that tour is hell, because you never know when you're going to play. So, like, one morning we had to take the stage at, like, 11:30 in the morning, and I never wake up before 2:30 in the afternoon, but I had to roll out of bed and get dressed and take the stage, and as soon as I was singing, I thought, 'F---, I totally strained my vocal cords.' I could just feel it. And it never healed after that. We went to Australia and Japan, and it never healed. So I'm trying to take some time off, and I get a call that [pop producer] Max Martin wanted to work on some songs with me for the new Cobra record, so of course I head out there right away. And it was kind of embarrassing, because as soon as I got out there, I just couldn't sing. At all. So I had the surgery at this place in, like, Beverly Hills, and since then I've been trying real hard to take it easy, but they're not healing all that well. And, to be honest, I'm a little concerned that it might affect the band and the tour. I mean, I'll drive the train right into the f---ing ground if I have to, but on the other hand, it'd be a shame if my voice blew out and the whole thing went to hell. Now I have to think about stuff like that, you know, my boys and my band and stuff. And it's a little worrying; I'm not going to lie."
On Cobra Starship's Ever-Growing Spot in the Decaydance Universe, and About Avoiding the Perils of Pulling a Panic at the Disco: "I try not to look at things like that. All companies are like that — there's a hierarchy based on success and, well, some bands are more successful than others. And I want to think that the situation with Decaydance isn't like that. I like to use the example of a band like Gym Class Heroes — they were first or second band on the label, and they watched the Academy Is... and Panic at the Disco pass them by, and [frontman] Travis [McCoy] just was never pissed about it, never complained, and finally they got their shot. I know that we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the people who helped us, bands like the Academy and people like [FOB frontman] Patrick [Stump] producing our record. I don't know, man, we're proud to be a part of it.
"At the same time, you know, I think everyone realizes where [the label] is at. But there's only so much you can do about all that. There was all this talk about 'the little economy that Fall Out Boy built.' They got big and helped other bands get their start. But once you get your start, it's up to you. You can get your foot in the door, but if you don't have the goods to back it up, you're kind of f---ed. Bands like Panic, they made their first record, and it got huge, and then they made a record they wanted to make, and the second time around, people didn't want to hear it anymore. And the same can be said about Gym Class, too. But, you know, there's no way to predict that. Whether or not something catches on and goes to the next level isn't a science at all, it's completely random. So, really, with our record, we have no idea. We just want our fans to like it, and we're going to let all that other sh-- just play itself out."
On Getting Dangerously Drunk in New York City: "Writing this record has been really weird because, like, on the last one, I was talking all this sh-- about celebrity and, like, it sort of became a self-fulfilling prophecy, you know? Talking sh-- about the cult of celebrity, and now we're in the middle of it. So I can't critique it anymore, because I'm not the underdog anymore. When you come up as the underdog, you have a reason to fight ... and then when you're not the underdog anymore, you have to find something new to fight about. And so, on the new record, I'm really trying out this idea of just talking as much sh-- as possible — about everything and everyone, you know? And I've discovered that the best way to get lyrical inspiration has just been to go out all the time. And not just go out, but, like, go out, get as intoxicated as possible, get in trouble, get kicked out of a place. It's not fun for me to go out unless I get kicked out and get hammered. I don't want to have a conversation about politics, I just wanna get trashed. And the only place I can do that is in New York City. Everywhere else, if you get out of hand, people get afraid. In NYC, if you get drunk and start f---ing with people, they'll f--- with you right back. And I love that confrontation. It may not be super-healthy, but I love it ... so there's a lot of that on the new album."
And what about that new album? On Wednesday, Saporta talks more about the songs and the producers, about picking the perfect title and about drawing inspiration from scene drama. If you're a Cobra fan, you won't want to miss it.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Rise of the Lycans Halted by Mall Cop
The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend.
The weekend following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday saw the release of two new movies in wide release, as well as a significant number of expanding movies trying to take advantage of Oscar nominations announced on Thursday.
The biggest new movie of the weekend was the action prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (Screen Gems), which set-up the battle between the vampires and werewolves for the hit franchise. It opened softer than the previous two movies with just $20.7 million in 2,942 theaters, averaging $7,036 per site. That wasn't enough for it to take down Kevin James' Paul Blart: Mall Cop (Sony), which once again wound up in first place with a second weekend take of $21.5 million (down 32% from the holiday weekend) and a current total of $64.8 million. The high concept comedy has proven to be very profitable for Sony and Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions, having been produced for a mere $26 million.
Although it was snubbed at receiving even a single Oscar nomination on Thursday, Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino (Warner Bros.) continued its epic box office run, dropping just 27% from the holiday weekend to add another $16 million to its box office take of $97.5 million. By next week, it will be Eastwood's third movie to gross over $100 million and it should become his highest grossing movie ever, surpassing Oscar winners Million Dollar Baby and Unforgiven. The film was produced for a mere $33 million.
The family comedy Hotel for Dogs (DreamWorks) had a solid second weekend, moving up a place from fifth to fourth with $12.4 million and a total gross of $37 million.
With ten Oscar nominations announced on Thursday, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight) expanded into 1,411 theaters on Friday, allowing it to add $10.5 million to its impressive box office take of $56 million. Even before the weekend, Slumdog had already surpassed the gross of Boyle's previous highest grossing movie 28 Days Later, and sometime in the next week, it's likely to become Fox Searchlight's third highest-grossing movie. Not bad for a movie that was picked up by Searchlight for distribution after the film's original studio Warner Independent folded.
Lionsgate's horror remake My Bloody Valentine 3D dropped to sixth place with $10 million and a total gross of $37.7 million.
New LIne's long-delayed fantasy epic Inkheart opened in 2,655 theaters but grossed just $7.7 million in its first weekend for seventh place, while averaging less than $3,000 per site.
Dropping to 8th place, the Kate Hudson-Anne Hathaway comedy Bride Wars (20th Century Fox) brought in $7 million in its third weekend, bringing its total to $48.7 million.
After receiving thirteen Oscar nominations on Thursday, David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount Vantage) moved back into the Top 10, settling into #9 with $6 million and a total gross of $111 million. Continuing the trend of Gran Torino and Slumdog MIllionaire, the film has become Fincher's highest-grossing movie to date.
The Biggie Smalls biopic Notorious (Fox Searchlight), starring newcomer Jamal Woolard, took a massive 72% drop from its opening weekend, dropping from fourth to tenth place with a second weekend take of $5.7 million and a total of $31.8 million.
Sam Mendes' literary drama Revolutionary Road (Paramount Vantage), reuniting Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, might have been snubbed of its expected Oscar nominations (except for supporting actor Michael Shannon) but it expanded into over a thousand theaters where it grossed $5.3 million to move up to 12th place. Despite a huge marketing campaign, it ended up just one notch below Paramount Vantage's other offering, Edward Zwick's Defiance, which earned $5.4 million in its second weekend of wide release, down 39%.
Having received five nominations on Thursday, Ron Howard's adaptation of Peter Morgan's play Frost/Nixon (Universal) expanded nationwide into 1,099 theaters to gross $3 million in 15th place. By comparison, Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler, which received Oscar nominations for actors Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei, took in $3.7 million in half the number of theaters. Frost/Nixon has grossed $12 million in 8 weeks of release while The Wrestler has grossed $9.5 million.
Despite being snubbed in the top Oscar categories, Warner Bros. reopened Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight into over 350 theaters on Friday. It reportedly only brought in $170,000, not even placing in the Top 25, so the decision to rerelease the film theatrically after its DVD release may not have been the wisest decision.
The weekend following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday saw the release of two new movies in wide release, as well as a significant number of expanding movies trying to take advantage of Oscar nominations announced on Thursday.
The biggest new movie of the weekend was the action prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (Screen Gems), which set-up the battle between the vampires and werewolves for the hit franchise. It opened softer than the previous two movies with just $20.7 million in 2,942 theaters, averaging $7,036 per site. That wasn't enough for it to take down Kevin James' Paul Blart: Mall Cop (Sony), which once again wound up in first place with a second weekend take of $21.5 million (down 32% from the holiday weekend) and a current total of $64.8 million. The high concept comedy has proven to be very profitable for Sony and Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions, having been produced for a mere $26 million.
Although it was snubbed at receiving even a single Oscar nomination on Thursday, Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino (Warner Bros.) continued its epic box office run, dropping just 27% from the holiday weekend to add another $16 million to its box office take of $97.5 million. By next week, it will be Eastwood's third movie to gross over $100 million and it should become his highest grossing movie ever, surpassing Oscar winners Million Dollar Baby and Unforgiven. The film was produced for a mere $33 million.
The family comedy Hotel for Dogs (DreamWorks) had a solid second weekend, moving up a place from fifth to fourth with $12.4 million and a total gross of $37 million.
With ten Oscar nominations announced on Thursday, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight) expanded into 1,411 theaters on Friday, allowing it to add $10.5 million to its impressive box office take of $56 million. Even before the weekend, Slumdog had already surpassed the gross of Boyle's previous highest grossing movie 28 Days Later, and sometime in the next week, it's likely to become Fox Searchlight's third highest-grossing movie. Not bad for a movie that was picked up by Searchlight for distribution after the film's original studio Warner Independent folded.
Lionsgate's horror remake My Bloody Valentine 3D dropped to sixth place with $10 million and a total gross of $37.7 million.
New LIne's long-delayed fantasy epic Inkheart opened in 2,655 theaters but grossed just $7.7 million in its first weekend for seventh place, while averaging less than $3,000 per site.
Dropping to 8th place, the Kate Hudson-Anne Hathaway comedy Bride Wars (20th Century Fox) brought in $7 million in its third weekend, bringing its total to $48.7 million.
After receiving thirteen Oscar nominations on Thursday, David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount Vantage) moved back into the Top 10, settling into #9 with $6 million and a total gross of $111 million. Continuing the trend of Gran Torino and Slumdog MIllionaire, the film has become Fincher's highest-grossing movie to date.
The Biggie Smalls biopic Notorious (Fox Searchlight), starring newcomer Jamal Woolard, took a massive 72% drop from its opening weekend, dropping from fourth to tenth place with a second weekend take of $5.7 million and a total of $31.8 million.
Sam Mendes' literary drama Revolutionary Road (Paramount Vantage), reuniting Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, might have been snubbed of its expected Oscar nominations (except for supporting actor Michael Shannon) but it expanded into over a thousand theaters where it grossed $5.3 million to move up to 12th place. Despite a huge marketing campaign, it ended up just one notch below Paramount Vantage's other offering, Edward Zwick's Defiance, which earned $5.4 million in its second weekend of wide release, down 39%.
Having received five nominations on Thursday, Ron Howard's adaptation of Peter Morgan's play Frost/Nixon (Universal) expanded nationwide into 1,099 theaters to gross $3 million in 15th place. By comparison, Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler, which received Oscar nominations for actors Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei, took in $3.7 million in half the number of theaters. Frost/Nixon has grossed $12 million in 8 weeks of release while The Wrestler has grossed $9.5 million.
Despite being snubbed in the top Oscar categories, Warner Bros. reopened Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight into over 350 theaters on Friday. It reportedly only brought in $170,000, not even placing in the Top 25, so the decision to rerelease the film theatrically after its DVD release may not have been the wisest decision.
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